Royal Square

Well now, would you be surprised if I told you this place is called Royal Square? I guess not, given the clues that could set you on track, such as the gigantic statue of Louis XV at its centre or its almost perfect square shape surrounded by imposing  buildings,typical of the18th century  architecture. Built in honour of the King of France in 1757, the square was designed to improve traffic flow and reduce the number of accidents that occurred on the narrow, winding roads in the area. At the time, Queen Marie de Leszno, wife of Louis XV, could n’t even get her carriage through the town because the streets were too narrow… There’s no doubt that her carriage must have been fairly large, but it seems that the area was impractical, even for pedestrians.It took 19 years to make the square what it is today. The statue at its centre created in 1819 by Pierre Cartellier, replaced the one Pigalle had created fifty years earlier, which had been destroyed during the Revolution. The result is stunning! The square is elegant and easily rivals some of the greatest squares in France. The only problem is that it is not pedestrianised, so take care when crossing.